Clothesline



Sept. 10, 1946. M; E. SEYMOUR CLOTHESLINE Filed April 3, 1944 INVENTOR. MARY E. SEYMounq BY Patented Sept. 10, 1946 OFFICE CLOTHESLINE Mary E. Seymour, Wichita, Kane. ApplicationApril 3, 1944,.S'erial N0. 529,321 I 1 Claim.

My invention herein disclosed relates to improvements inclothes, lines, and has for its principal objects the elimination of clothes pins to secure washed articles of clothing or other fabrics carried by the line structure. A further object of my invention is to arrange a clothes line of the character herein disclosed that will function to the same extent as a single stationary line of a conventional type wherein clothes pins are employed to secure articles of laundry to the line.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in the line structure a major strand to carry the laundry load and minor strands to removably secure the laundry to the major strand,'whereby said minor strands may be of elastic material. I

These and other objects will hereinafter be more fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, wherein like characters will apply 'to like parts in the different views of the line structure.

Referring to the drawing: Fig. 1 is a side View of the clothes line, fragmentarily, and a separating element partly in.

section, and being carried by the clothes line in working relation thereto.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the separating element as disclosed in Fig. 1, parts removed for convenience of illustration.

Figs. 3 and 4 show a modified form for the separating element, Fig. 3 being partly in section, while Fig. 4 is a transverse view of Fig 3 and being in elevation.

As a more concise description of the invention with respect to the drawing, it will be seen that the said clothes line consists of a major strand I and minor strands 2, that are adapted to wind on the said strand I as conducted by a separating means for said strands as the said separator is moved longitudinally from end to end of the strands, whereby articles of laundry as illustrated at 3 in Fig. 1 are secured to the major strand by inserting a portion as at A between the major and minor strands as spaced apart by the separator as the same is moved from the articles of laundry secured to the line.

The separating element for the lines above referred to consists of inner and outer annular members 4 and 5 respectively, the outer member having a groove B peripherally extending around the same internally to function as a ball race while the inner ring is grooved externally as at C to function as the other side of the ball (Cl. 211 1 19.0I)

race end in which balls 6 are inserted through an aperture in the outer member and retained therein by a threaded stud i. It will now be seen that the said annular members are rotatable on each other by a ball bearing, the outer member 5 having a handle 8 radially extending to move said members longitudinally of the clothes line. The inner annular member has a pair of bars 9 extending thereacross in spaced relation at the diametrical axis that is centrally positioned between the said bars. The said bars have a pair of sheave rollers Ill journalled therebetwcen as shown in Fig. 1, the periphery of the rollers adapted to engage with each other to avoid friction on their journals as rotated by the strands, it being understood that the terminal ends of the lines are secured to suitable posts, or the line, but not shown in the drawing of the clothes lines.

'It will be seen that the major. strand is straightly aligned between the grooved rollers loosely engaging in their respective grooves, while the minor strands engage frictionally on the outer sides of the said grooved rollers to rotate the same and to separate the minor strands that convergently contact the major strand winding therearound as the trailing side D of the separating element, while at the leading side E of said element the minor strands will unwind in response to its directional movement. It will now be seen the manner by which articles of laundry are secured to the major strand by placing a portion of said articles of laundry on the major strand to bind the same thereto by winding the minor strands as the trailing side of said separating element is moved therefrom. In response to the direction of movement, the minor strands will actuate the rotation of the inner annular member, which in turn will permit winding and unwinding of said minor strands in spaced relation from each side selectively of said separating element as the same is moved by its handle manually along the major strand that is stretched tightly as carrying means for laundry secured thereto as herein described.

It will be understood that the major strand is preferably made from galvanized wire of a suitable gauge to carry the load, while the minor strands may be of elastic or fibrous material. Furthermore said minor strands may be constructed as a small pliable cable consisting of a plurality of comparatively finely galvanized metallic strands twisted together to endure repeated winding of .the same about the major strand.

In Figs. 3 and 4 will be seen a modification for the said spacing element, wherein four sheave rollers l I are employed, whereby the major strand will fit closely in the grooves of its respective pair of rollers to coact with the minor strands to turn all of said rollers agreeable to the direction of movement of the separating element to avoid frictional engagement where the rollers contact, and such other modifications may be employed as lie within the scope of the appending claim.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a clothes line of the class described, in

combination, a straight strand of wire of suitable strands having a separating means for separating the pliable strands from each other and from said straight strand of wire as the separating means is moved therealong, the separating means comprising a pair of ring-like annular elements, one annular element being placed within the other and having their confronting peripheral surfaces grooved, and balls being placed in the grooves, the outer ring-like element having a handle thereon to convey the said separating means along the clothes line, the inner element having cross bars diametrically positioned and spaced apart, and a pair of grooved rollers journalled on the bars therebetween and peripherally engaging to roll in unison and their grooves being greater in size than the diameter or gauge of the straight strand of wire to avoid friction as the rollers turn, said rollers being turned by the two pliable strands that engage in the grooves of their respective rollers to separate the strands from each other and said straight strand.

MARY E. SEYMOUR. 

